Build-A-Monster Contest:
Provide tubs of multi-colored modeling clay and allow your guests
to build any kind of monster that strikes their fancy. Winner
can be determined by a judge or by audience secret vote. As a
prize last year we gave a gift certificate to a cosmetics chain
called "The Body Shop."
Ghost Hunt:
Cut out paper ghosts and "hide them in plain sight"
throughout the party area. Even if your home is fairly tidy,
it's easy to find places to conceal the ghosts. When one of your
guests finds a ghost, give them a small prize or treat bag. We
limited the prizes to one per person. This game is great for kids
and adults.
Jack:
Buy or make enough Halloween pin-back badges for all your party
guests. Pin one on each guests as they arrive. Instruct them that
from this point forward, their name is "Jack." If anyone
calls them by a name other than Jack (i.e., their first name or
some descriptive slang like "Hey cutie" or "What's
up, Dracula") they may confiscate one badge from the person
who did not address them properly as "Jack." The "Jack"
with the most badges at the end of the party wins a prize. For
fun, just keep calling out "Hey, Jack" and watch everyone
look!
Creepy Cuisine:
This is a great way to get yummy treats to your party if you don't
like to cook! Announce on the invitations that a prize will be
given to the best Halloween-themed potluck dish. Allow your guests
to vote for their favorite and give the winner a gift certificate
to a good restaraunt. Our buffet last year was delicious when
we did this!
Stuff the Suit
A large group breaks up into teams of 3-5, pick the smallest of
the team to wear the suit. The 'suit' consists of a very, very
large sweatsuit. The other team members blow up lots of balloons
and stuff them into the suit.
Two variations: the team that can stuff the most balloons in a
set period of time wins; or after the suits are stuffed, the 'sumos'
can run an obstacle course (don't forget a bike helmet and gloves!),
belly bumping each other until their bumped out of a circle, or
a short race... or any combination...
Body Language
Each member of a large group picks a partner. Then the group forms
two rings, one inside the other, one partner in one ring, one
in the other. Each ring moves around (music optional), in the
opposite direction of the other. A 'caller' announces that the
partners must touch their 'hand to foot', so each member must
quickly find their partner
(wherever they are), and follow the directions of the caller.
Each member would have to have one hand on the others foot. The
last ones to do it are out... Several innovative combinations
are possible, depending on the age and inclination of the group.
Do you Love your Neighbor?
The group forms a large circle of chairs (stools, etc) with one
person in the middle who is 'it' (and doesn't have a chair). It
gets a ball, and as It tosses the ball, he/she calls "Do
you Love your Neighbor?". The person catching it has options
for answering... they can say "Yes, but I don't like anyone
with tennis shoes". Everyone wearing tennis shoes must get
up and scramble to find another chair. The person who is It also
gets to go for a chair, the one without a seat is It for the next
round. If the person says "No" to the question, everyone
must get up and find another seat. This game can challenge different
segments in the group "Yes, but I dont like anyone older
than 16"; "Yes, but I dont like anyone with baggy pants",
"Yes, but I dont like suits", etc....
Win, Lose, Draw
Sort of a Pictionary, two teams compete to figure out what a person
is drawing on a large piece of paper. The person pulls ('draws')
a piece of paper from a bowl naming the thing to be drawn, and
he/she begins drawing (no talking or clues allowed) until one
team or the other 'wins' by naming the object. Or, if not named
after finishing the drawing, the person has to 'draw' again...